Report - Elton Mill, Cambs March 2019

[mookster]

Nestled in a wealthy picturesque village in Cambridgeshire sits a long abandoned water-powered corn mill, with precious little in the way of information out there about, well, anything at all to do with it. I suspect the locals may know more than me through word of mouth but thats about it! It was a lovely surprise to see as I had no idea what to expect other than the warning it was full of pigeon poo, but it turned out to be my favourite location from the marathon I undertook to end March on.

The mill was originally constructed at some point in the latter half of the 18th Century - I was quite amazed to find some carved graffiti dated 1777 on what was once an exterior wall of the building. It was extended in the early part of the 19th Century and features an AD 1840 gable plaque. It would appear to have closed some considerable time ago, although I can't for the life of me find out any firm information on when it closed or indeed any future plans for the building which was listed at Grade II in 1988.

The mill race is still thundering through the lower floor of the mill, although the wheel no longer turns of course. It's a sight and a sound to behold, the roar of the water bouncing off the walls in the enclosed space.

Thanks for looking ​

 

[westernsultan]

Grade II listed - https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101130073-the-mill-elton#.XKOso5hKiM-

Water mill. Late C18 or early C19 extended and rebuilt, 'AD 1840' on gable plaque. Coursed limestone with freestone dressings, red brick and timber-frame weather-boarded. Ridged pantiled roof, corbelled parapet gables. Three storeys and attics. Four original bays extended by two bay with lower range to south-east. Undershot wheel included into later building. North-east elevation: One blocked doorway and entrance with double boarded doors and first floor boarded door above. Cast iron windows with stone lintels or segmental brick arches; ground and first floor windows with thirty panes and second floor with twenty panes. Lower range part weather-boarded with panelled door, bay window and hung sash window. Interior mostly intact, with iron and wooden waterwheel c.14 feet diam and c.12 feet wide. The miller's house attached to the north-west was demolished in 1881. ‘The mill is a long term vacant and redundant building and as such there are concerns about its structural stability and general deterioration. There has been correspondence with the Elton Estate with regard to this building and whilst there has been no definite forward progress, there is a good work relationship with the owner. The mill has been on the register since 1991 and there are on-going concerns over the condition of the timbers, brickwork, and whether birds or rain getting in and causing further damage’ Info taken from http://www.buildingpreservation.org...geshire-Watermills-and-Windmillls-at-Risk.pdf

 

[mookster]

Grade II listed - https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101130073-the-mill-elton#.XKOso5hKiM-

Water mill. Late C18 or early C19 extended and rebuilt, 'AD 1840' on gable plaque. Coursed limestone with freestone dressings, red brick and timber-frame weather-boarded. Ridged pantiled roof, corbelled parapet gables. Three storeys and attics. Four original bays extended by two bay with lower range to south-east. Undershot wheel included into later building. North-east elevation: One blocked doorway and entrance with double boarded doors and first floor boarded door above. Cast iron windows with stone lintels or segmental brick arches; ground and first floor windows with thirty panes and second floor with twenty panes. Lower range part weather-boarded with panelled door, bay window and hung sash window. Interior mostly intact, with iron and wooden waterwheel c.14 feet diam and c.12 feet wide. The miller's house attached to the north-west was demolished in 1881. Info taken from http://www.buildingpreservation.org...geshire-Watermills-and-Windmillls-at-Risk.pdf

Yes, thats where I got the limited info from, in a paraphrased form.

 

[westernsultan]

Yes, thats where I got the limited info from, in a paraphrased form.

oops - sorry

 

[urbanchemist]

Nice, any idea what the two machines pictured at the bottom were for?

 

[mookster]

Nice, any idea what the two machines pictured at the bottom were for?

I wish I did - the thing on wheels looked kind of like some sort of donkey engine or generator but no idea what the larger one was for. They are in a lean-to shed built onto the side of the building.

 

[albino-jay]

Thats an old one! Nicely done mate

 

[Bikin Glynn]

I wish I did - the thing on wheels looked kind of like some sort of donkey engine or generator but no idea what the larger one was for. They are in a lean-to shed built onto the side of the building.

Its a petrol pump engine I believe. I heard that there was a plan to open as a museum once upon a time which would explain some of the NOn related machinery!

 

[Cloth Head]

Cool, nice that.

 

[tarkovsky]

Nice one Mookster. I grew up not far from here, in a much less posh location tho, where anything abandoned gets set on fire rather than preserved. Great that this has survived so long...

 

[tigger]

Nice, any idea what the two machines pictured at the bottom were for?

Second from last looks like a small steam powered piston motor. A lot of mills had alternative and extra power sources using steam or parafin engines..

For people who like mills , National Mills Weekend is in May every year and sees many normally shut (in some cases due to derelict state) mills open. Usually free or 'donation' for access).